Why hello there!

Hi everyone... It's been a long time, but I'm still here! I can't really believe it's been so long. I've been, let's see, trying to keep my head above water for my class, work on my lit review, figure out a dissertation, thinking about moving. The usual. Somewhere in there I stopped feeling like blogging. I think it's because I don't really know what to say about, say, the family gathering in Florida that followed immediately on the one to Colorado. Or about my weekends. Usually they're not all that exciting: maybe I'll get together with some friends, usually Coffeeboy and I spend a night in watching something on the TV. Often I'll be doing schoolwork during the day. It doesn't exactly make for exciting Monday-morning reports about my weekend, but maybe people enjoy those posts? Or they're a necessary part of the blogging ritual?

Needless to say, though, I've been knitting, and I have a finished shawl!

Pattern: Kiri
Yarn: K-P Shadow in "Jewel"
Needles: Size 5
Time: March 18-April 22 (not at all bad!)
Size: 25x51 before blocking; 30x60 after blocking.

I got to wear Kiri to my subfield's party this afternoon, and it received many compliments. I finished it last night and blocked it overnight, in time to wear today. Thankfully the weather's been just right for a new shawl! I also got to use the new shawl clasp Coffeeboy gave me a while ago; it works very well to hold the shawl on. This was a very fast knit, with an easily memorizable pattern. Highly recommended!

It's finally spring, and our garden is in full daffodil form. We've also started thinking about spring vegetables!

Despite the nice weather, though, I'm spending my days in the library or in other places conducive to studying, trying to figure out what I'm going to write my dissertation on. I thought I had some ideas, but right now they're, shall we say, on hold. I just have to assume that one day, as I keep working though stuff, things will fall into place.

Lacing along

*Breaking news! See bottom of post!*

I seem to have revived myself out of a knitting slumber by ignoring my blue, but plain, stockinette socks! Lace has revived my need to knit obsessively, making it something I think about while at work, wishing I could be knitting instead of grading.

I'm through the sixth repeat and into the seventh of the pattern (out of twelve called for repeats; I'm not sure I'll do all twelve; I might do only ten or eleven).

I also started another lace item. While in North Carolina last week, I kind of broke my yarn diet. I don't have pictures, because Coffeeboy had the camera with him at his interview school to take pictures for me, but I can tell you it was all lace. At my favorite yarn store there, Yarns Etc, I picked up a smoky blue skein of Misti Alpaca laceweight, and also this beauty, from the local Three Waters Farm, named "Lilac."

It was a gorgeous, 75-degree day, flowers blooming, and I couldn't resist the name of the colorway and its connotations of spring. Given the name of the yarn and its colors - I thought of English gardens - I decided to cast on for a wide scarf or stole:

I chose the feather and fan motif because it fit with the traditional English garden idea, and because I'm hoping the gatherings in the pattern, its bunches and contours, will suggest clusters of lilac blooms crowding round leaves of green and glimpses of blue sky. It's too early to tell if it will work, though, isn't it!

Speaking of lacing along, time isn't racing, but moves slowly, again, for Dr. Coffeeboy and myself. His interview went pretty well, but now we're stuck in the horrendous process of waiting to hear, and of being confused about what the school actually said or meant about when it would get back to him. It could be today, or Thursday, or next week - or not till they've notified another candidate. We don't know. It's driving one of us batty and leaving the other unsure of how to best help pass the time. I'm sure when we know more I'll let you know.

In the meantime, will I finish my sock for Socktopia this month, or will I just knit lace? Only time will tell!

*BREAKING NEWS!* Coffeeboy got the job! Assuming we take it, he'll be Assistant Professor Coffeeboy now!